434 



Reviews and Book Notices. 



filled with minute starch-granules ; the nectaries are in the 

 ccorolla, which also produces cr\3tals of oxalate of calcium. 

 In some varieties of this plant the pollen is aborted, the ovules 

 infertile, or the embryos when produced are undifferentiated. 

 The anal^/sis reveals a brisk movement of the albumenoids, and 

 a considerable productiveness of carbohydrates. 



HISTORY AND TOPOGRAPHY. 



A Manual of Roman Antiquities, by W. Ramsay, Revised by R. Lan- 

 ^Ciani. London : C. Griffin & Co. 573 pp., 10/6. 



Tliis well-known manual has now reached its eighteenth edition ; and 

 whilst it is very familiar to and has long been used by classical scholars, 

 we should like to draw attention to the book as likely to prove of very 

 ■great service to the increasingly large number of people who, particularly 

 in the northern counties, are taking an interest in the Roman remains of 

 which the country is so rich. Whilst the manual deals with almost every 

 possible branch of Roman history, that relating to their military and 

 naval life, their method of building encampments, etc., is of particular 

 value. In this connection the contributions of Prof. Lanciani, who has 

 done so much in connection with the excavations near Rome, are of ex- 

 treme interest. By the use of small but clear type, with carefully placed 

 headings, and wealth of footnotes and references, the volume is kept within 

 reasonable compass. At half-a-guinea it is exceedingly cheap. 



The Rivers of Axholme, with a history of the navigable rivers and canals 

 of the district, by G. Dunston. London : A. Brown & Sons. 155 pp., 

 4to, Maps. 10/- 



Those who know the keen business ability of the author may at 

 iirst be surprised at the fact that he has turned antiquary, and written 

 a book. But it is soon apparent that there is method in his — work ; 

 and whilst it contains some most useful and most valuable information, 

 we find he has soon descended from the peat to the coal measures ; and 

 from facts about the old form of Hatfield Chase to figures bearing upon the 

 workable coal which undoubtedly will some day entirely change the aspect 

 of this rare tract of natural country. Mr. Dunston first tackles Abraham 

 de la Pryme, who was gifted with a powerful imagination, and then quotes 

 the Survey Memoirs and numerous other authorities in reference to the 

 geological history of the area. He has also unearthed a number of very 

 interesting plans shewing the condition of Hatfield Chase and its adjoining 

 "watercourses in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These have 

 been reproduced in a way that is all that can be desired, and in themselves 

 are of great historical value. After dealing with the early history of the 

 Island ; Axholme during the middle ages ; before and after the drainage ; 

 he deals in turn with the history of each of the various navigable rivers 

 and canals in the district ; but these chapters are of most interest from a 

 commercial standpoint. There are some valuable appendices, dealing 

 with XVIth century enquiries, Vermuyden's agreement with Charles I., 

 Smeaton's report, etc. Of peculiar interest is a reproduction of a fine 

 painting of ' King Charles I. killing deer driven into Thorne Mere.' This 

 shews the way in which some hundreds of deer were driven into the lake 

 by beaters, and were then surrounded by about fifty boat-loads of ' sports- 

 men,' who simply butchered the helpless animals. Truly a kingly sport ! 



Naturalist 



